Fluffy First Encounters
by LovelyPrecedent
Summary: A collection of AU one-shots featuring the cute details about how Cloud and Tifa met for the first time. Goal is to bring a smile to your face no matter how the day went.
1. Forced class seating

**Forced Seating Arrangements:**

Mrs. Ryan brought our her list.

"Alright boys and girls. I have arranged new seating plans for Term Three. They are going to be boy-girl pairs to each desk because it helps you to stop talking in class and concentrate."

The class of third graders let out a collective grumble. Tifa and Jessica looked at each other in dismay and horror appropriate to the occasion; two best friends forever sitting together being forced apart by a mean teacher, and having to sit next to a yucky _boy _for a whole term. This was punishment!

"Faraday and Christopher." Snickers ensued.

"Jonathan and Samantha."

"Jessica and Wedge."

Jessica groaned and mournfully shuffled out of her desk to face her new predicament. "_See you at lunch time_' she whispered sadly to Tifa.

"Tifa and Cloud."

Tifa's heart sank. She would be sitting with Cloud, the boy who flunked third grade so badly last year that he had to repeat. It's not that he was bad, it's just that he _was_ the class loser, and she dreaded the teasing from the class.

"Haha Tifa, sucks to be you!"

"Hey Tifa, I dare you to ask him out."

"Sitting next to the stupid."

"Bet this is the first time a girl would ever speak to _you_."

"_BOYS!_" Mrs. Ryan was astounded at the nerve of her pupils. She knew well enough that this Cloud was the proverbial outcast and would be bullied for as long as he remained awkward. That's why she planned to have him he sit next to Tifa - the smartest and brightest in the class. Maybe it would encourage Cloud to start trying a bit harder.

Tifa walked towards his desk in the back corner. He was always sitting by himself and she felt not only like an awful intruder, but that she had been exiled from the best section of the class - the front seat. He hastily removed the books and rubbish from the spare area over so she could sit down.

"Haha Tifa and Cloud, sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-"

"Stop it!" Tifa snapped. This was so unfair. Her mother died at the start of the year, she was sad at home, and getting close to Jessica had been her greatest source of comfort. She would complain to her father if she hated this seating arrangement.

She crossed her arms and refused to look at Cloud. She felt like she was going to cry.

"Okay, these are your new seats. Now I'm passing out the reading and comprehension work sheets. Finish this by lunch time and ask your partner for help if you need."

The first hour went dreadfully slow when she didn't have Jessica next to her to giggle and whisper with. The exercise required cutting and pasting words into the appropriate spaces for paragraph completion. She brought out her glue stick and found that it was dry.

Bother, she would have to actually speak to him. She cleared her throat. "Hey."

He stopped his work and gazed furtively at her, like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Can I borrow your glue-stick?"

He stammered something incoherent and fumbled furiously through his pencil case then thrust it at her.

"Wow that was quick...thanks."

"That's okay" he mumbled and quickly averted his eyes to the blackboard.

Fifteen minutes later she noticed something.

"Are you copying me?"

"N-no."

"Yes you are, you keep looking to my side. If you copy I will tell on you."

"I saw something in your hair."

"Liar." she pouted.

Without asking he reached over to her pigtail and pinched something slightly. She gasped and jumped back at the small black spider in his hand.

"I'm not scared." he said. He used his other hand to flick the spider to the front. It hit Jonathan's back and slunk to the ground.

She went red and giggled like she had a secret. His lips turned up ever so slightly.

"You are nice. So now you are allowed to play with me at lunch sometimes."

He smiled proudly for a second then went back to his work with a determination that was unusual for him. Maybe he could prove to her that he wasn't that stupid either.

Tifa didn't push him for conversation for the remainder of the day, but the heavy-hearted tension had lifted. Maybe sitting next to him wouldn't be so bad.


	2. Say thank you!

**Say Thank you!**

"Miss Tifa, could you kindly get a latte for Mr. Strife. He prefers one sugar and less frothing."

"Of course Alison", her personal assistant promptly replied. Tifa had only joined the company a fortnight ago, and was still learning the ropes of being an office secretary. The multitude of spontaneous demands in the role had been daunting, but of course she wanted to do her best.

"When does he require it?"

"Right now of course, Mr. Strife needs to be at an executive meeting very soon." Alison's tone was brusque and impatient, as if Tifa should have known better.

Tifa walked into the elaborate kitchen, which could be seen by everyone in the office floor since it had transparent glass instead of walls. She squinted a little begrudgingly at the cubicles. Which one was the department manager? Was she just expected to know without asking? She got to making the latte_._ Years of bartending and barista experience made her coffees a favorite among the company big shots who requested them.

She skillfully transformed the froth-topping into an intricate flower and leaf pattern, and it only took seven seconds. She beamed to herself. She wanted to impress her colleagues.

She picked up the coffee tray, complete with extra sugar and an saucer. Once out of the kitchen she saw Alison nod towards the direction of Mr. Strife. She walked confidently to his cubicle. A handsome blond man who looked to be in his mid-twenties was sitting there, concentrating heavily on his monitor. Twenty two year old Tifa was a bit shocked that someone just over her age could have been promoted so quickly. Perhaps it was the typical case of Upper Plate family connections helping him skip the line...

"Good morning Mr. Strife. Here is the latte you requested, one sugar." Though flustered she could still speak eloquently.

The man didn't bother turning his head, but made a non committal grunting noise. Assuming that he was still waiting she put the tray down to his left and waited.

Silence.

"Is there anything else you need?" she asked sweetly.

He glanced nonchalantly at the coffee tray.

"Mn-mn" he said, still not looking at her.

Inside Tifa lost her nerve. He couldn't even verbalize a proper no?! She was used to this lax behavior from her typical bar customers from the slums, but she pardoned their lower social caliber due their disadvantaged upbringings. But having to put up with this arrogant man who should know better, why she may as well not have moved to the Upper Plate if she was going to get the same disrespect anyway.

Without a word she stepped forward and took only the latte mug. She turned away from him and calmly walked out.

"Hey where are you going?" came his real voice, _finally_.

She ignored him and kept walking to the transparent glass kitchen. From the sink she could see his blond head popping up from his cubicle. Still furious but simultaneously trying not to giggle, she poured the coffee slowly down the sink, making a good show out of it for him.

Then she violently grabbed a new mug from the espresso machine top, and the group handle to make another latte. She impatiently poured in the remaining hot frothed milk. She walked calmly back to his cubicle. He was sitting down again but curious eyes definitely acknowledged her this time.

"...The frothing was bad on that last one." Tifa explained matter of factly. She slowly put the mug down, meeting his intense gaze. For the first time she noticed how blue his eyes were.

"Thank you very much Miss-" he surveyed her chest for a name badge.

"- Tifa. I'm new to the office," she replied feeling friendly again. However she didn't fail to notice his eyes lingering on her chest a fraction longer than necessary.

"Welcome to the team."

"Thank you."

Tifa still stood there stupidly, was she supposed to leave already or was it impolite until the manager dismissed you?

Mr. Strife picked up the mug.

"Aw, no flower this time?"

"Oh, about that..." Tifa started blushing.

He broke out into an amused smile, eyes dancing with laughter. It was a rather unnerving, silent sort of laughing smile. She continued to stare dumbly, not knowing how to react.

"Hey, how about I shout _you_ a coffee sometime this week as a welcome gesture to the company."

"Uh - I mean that would be wonderful yes."

Tifa felt the heat rising in her cheeks, she felt so exposed and now silly for the little latte incident.

"Thursday lunch break?"

She inclined her head. "Thank you Mr. Strife."

"Just call me Cloud."

"Cloud?"

"I'm not married."

"But they call you Mr."

"What else are they supposed to call me?" he retorted, eyes laughing again.

Tifa left his cubicle in a nervous flush, unaware that this was the moment she first met her future husband.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: <strong>How's that last liner for fluff? Now I have a sudden idea for a new narrative, gah these are meant to be oneshots. Well maybe in the future (:.


	3. Bah Valentine's day

**AN:** Time for some well needed Cloti fluff. This one is a little different :)

* * *

><p>Tifa woke up and groaned. Yesterday did not go well. It wasn't particularly a bad day, it was just another Valentine's day - the twenty first consecutive year of being single on Valentine's day to be truthful. Not that she cared that much, really. She was savvy enough to deduce that this day was just another hallmark holiday made to guilt trip people into spending their money to look good in front of others and convince the world that they had the happiest relationship on earth and that all single people suck.<p>

Seriously, it was kind of pathetic that every single couple in the restaurant she was waitressing at yesterday thought they were unique and 'different' from everyone else, when really they were just sheep. Everyone falling for the same marketing ploy of buying stuffed pink Chocobo toys for their girlfriends, cheap heart shaped chocolates and doing that dumb thing where they stare into each other's eyes at the dinner table and fail to hear the waitress asking for their order.

Tifa wasn't bitter, not _really_. She wasn't interested in getting flowers or Chocobo shaped candy. I mean, it's not like she had a boyfriend to hold her and care for her, and want to buy her pretty things like a good provider and protector would anyway.

So after an infuriating night of getting couples to snap out of their reverie to talk to her, ordering their food to see them smooching, having to separate clasped hands to put the dinner dish down, and being on the receiving ends of pitying looks from men and angry looks from women, Tifa went home and drank half a bottle of wine by herself.

_Pathetic. _One hour later the alcohol kicked in and brought out the plethora of negative emotions that she had been suppressing that day. She cried herself to sleep.

In the morning she hated herself for being such a whiner.

_Yeah Tifa, way to reinforce the stereotype that all single people are miserable and sad._

She dragged herself out of her rented flat, and took a refreshing walk to the mall. At Pricemart a display ledge on the front aisle caught her eye.

SALE HURRY SALE! : PREMIUM CHOCOBO SHAPED CHOCOLATES – bulk package reduced from GIL.89.99 to GIL4.99.

Tifa's heart quickened. _Should she or shouldn't she?_

There were only four packets left. An elderly man who smelled of cat hair limped to the shelf, squinted at the sign, then grabbed two packets immediately. Tifa remained rooted to the spot. Would she look that sad too if she grabbed a package?

She skulked around the next aisle for minutes just keeping watch.

"Anything I can help you with?" asked the shop assistant.

"Uh, no I'm just looking" she replied flustered.

Just then a fashionably dressed girl looking just older than her walked to the shelf, picked the box up, looked at the sign then went straight to the counter with a satisfied smile.

_Screw it. If that hot single girl could just waltz in and claim Valentine chocolate, so can I._

Tifa finally made for the last packet. Just before her hands made contact some random blond guy cut in front of her and swiped the packet from her potential hands.

"Hey!" she shouted angrily.

The blond guy didn't hear her but made way for the counter where the fashionable lady was still making her transaction.

Letting the negative emotions get the better of her Tifa stormed towards the checkout. She tapped the guy squarely in the back. He turned around and examined her with big blue eyes.

"_Excuse_ me, I'm sorry to disturb you but actually, I had that pack of chocolates first."

Blue eyes widened "But I picked them up first, it's not like I grabbed it from your hands."

"Mm- that's not the point," Tifa became a bit hysterical. "I was there looking at the chocolate for ages, then when I decided to pick it up you came and just took 'em!"

"_Ma'am" _the checkout lady interrupted. "Is there anything I can help you with?" she asked testily.

"Yes, do you have any more spare packages of the Chocobo chocolate?"

She shook her head coldly. "Whatever was left on the shelf is our last stock."

"Oh okay, then, this package of chocolate this gentleman is holding is actually my purchase."

Checkout lady's eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?"

"I got there first!"

Other customers started orbiting the scene to eavesdrop.

"Unless the gentleman pried this thing directly from your hands, then it is reasonable that being the first one to pick the chocolate from the shelf makes him the rightful purchaser of the product."

Checkout lady explained this in a condescending manner you'd use with a four year old. The blond guy put the chocolates down on the counter. Tifa turned to Plan B; persuasion.

"Hey, um sir, you don't really need those chocolates do you?" she asked sweetly.

The blond guy looked at her squarely. "Well I really want to buy them?"

"Why? It is an emergency. They are wrapped in pink."

"So?"

"So maybe you could buy more masculine looking chocolate for you and let me have the last one please?"

"Who said I was buying this for myself? Maybe I'm buying it for my girlfriend."

Tifa lost it and started crying. She hated herself for showing weakness but it felt so refreshing at the same time. Checkout lady looked alarmed and called into the loudspeaker for more assistance as the delayed customer line piled up.

"Y-y-you shouldn't even be buying Valentine's day stuff for your girlfriend after the day. You probably already had a great night out and j-j-just want to get more coz you're _greedy_!"

The blond guy was clearly disturbed at the sight of the frantic crying girl.

"Ma'am I can refund this."

"Too late! Purchase has been made, she needs to get a grip, move along now!"

"Can I exchange it then?"

"For-f-forget it, I'll go somewhere else!"

Tifa ran out of the store in embarrassment. The delayed customers looked on curiously, some in amusement and some in pity. The pity was worse.

Outside the store Tifa brought out a tissue and blew her nose. It may have been a better idea to stay and fester in her flat. To her irritation the blond guy followed her out.

"What do you want?" she asked hoarsely.

He scratched the back of his neck nervously, then slowly brought out the chocolate package he just purchased and held it towards her.

"Um – ah, here."

Tifa caved in with embarrassment, shock, delight, and shame all at once. She felt like laughing and bursting into tears again.

"… I feel so stupid right now. I am really sorry for being such an idiot. Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I was planning this from the start, but ah- obviously there was a misunderstanding."

"You were planning to buy them for _me_?"

The blond looked a bit guilty. "Er – yeah, I saw you standing there for ages looking at the chocolate and I could tell you wanted them but weren't going to buy them for yourself…So I thought I'd buy them for you." He looked down and mumbled at the last part.

Tifa broke into a huge smile though she still looked teary from the previous cry.

"No guy has _ever _bought me chocolates before. I am so happy right now." She moved in and hugged him tentatively. He looked relieved and returned the hug. She pulled back and smiled at him again.

"I don't know who you are but you seriously made my day."

"Oh, that, I'm Cloud."

"My name is Tifa. It was nice to meet you."

"Same to you."

There was an awkward but friendly filled pause.

"Well I'm heading that way," Tifa pointed.

"Me too."

"Ah yeah, I'm getting lunch."

"Same here."

The blond broke into a shy grin and Tifa couldn't help returning it.

"Then maybe I could shout you something, for accusing you just now?"

"Oh don't worry about that."

"You sure?"

"Just have lunch with me." he said really quickly.

Tifa looked down and giggled.

"I could share some of that chocolate with you for dessert perhaps?"

"That would be great. They do look amazing."

They continued walking together, though both still a bit to bashful to look at each other and Tifa consumed by her inner reverie.

_There is something really, really lovely about receiving chocolate from a guy_. _Not that I'm falling for the Valentine 's Day propaganda but it is really nice. _


End file.
